After storms, calm to return to Delhi with spike in temp

Delhi's temperature rose to 40°C with no rain recorded, despite forecasts. Air quality worsened, averaging AQI 176. Rain is expected Thursday and Friday.

The expected rain eluded Delhi on Saturday, pushing the maximum temperature to 40°C — over 4°C higher than Friday’s.

The maximum temperature on Saturday was recorded at 40°C. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The minimum temperature on Saturday stood at 26.4°C, marginally higher than Friday’s 26°C. The maximum temperature on Friday was 35.8°C.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature could rise further, ranging between 40°C and 42°C by Tuesday. A significant dip in temperature due to rain is likely on Thursday and Friday, according to IMD .

Despite an IMD forecast for showers on Saturday, no rain was recorded at any of the IMD’s weather stations in Delhi till 5:30pm.

According to the IMD’s forecast for the coming week, Delhi may see a marginal dip in temperature on Sunday with partly cloudy skies, followed by mainly clear skies on Monday. The temperature is likely to range between 40°C and 42°C till June 11.

The forecast for Thursday and Friday predicts partly cloudy skies with a spell of very light to light rain along with thunderstorms and strong winds, reaching 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60kmph.

“We expect a feeble western disturbance in the coming week. Although weak, isolated thunderstorms cannot be ruled out. In the next two to three days, there won’t be much weather activity, although partly cloudy skies will remain,” said Mahesh Pehlawat, vice president of Skymet Weather.

Meanwhile, the city’s air quality deteriorated within the “moderate” category. The 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 176 on Saturday. It was 131 a day before.

So far in June, the daily average AQI had been consistently rising, from 105 to 106 on the first two days, followed by an almost 40 point jump to an average of 143 on June 3, and another 21 point rise to an average of 164 on June 4. It had improved to 131 on June 5.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor” and 401-500 “severe”.